Mechanism for controlling the operation of pumps



Dec. 22, 1970 J. R, WALDING, JR 3,549,275

MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF PUMPS Filed Nov. 25, 1968 2 Shets-Sheet 1 dme; 14. 14 0/0909, z/A

INIVENIOR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent M 3,549,276 MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF PUMPS James R. Walding, Jr., 241 Connie St., Houston, Tex. 77022 Filed Nov. 25, 1968, Ser. No. 778,587 Int. Cl. F04b 49/02; B67d 5/54; H01h 35/40 US. Cl. 417-12 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Control mechanism for use in the operation of pumps whereby operation of a pump is discontinued upon the occurrence of a non-flow condition to prevent continued operation of the pump when no fluid is available for pumping and including means for periodically restarting the pump and continuing the operation thereof until the occurrence of non-flow conditions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the operation of pumps, and particularly pumps for use in pumping oil from oil wells, such pumps are often operated continuously whether or not there is fluid available for pumping from the well.

Such continuous operation often results in extreme conditions of wear due to operating the pumps dry when the supply foil has been exhausted. Various attempts have been made to provide for operation of oil well pumps only when oil is available and to stop such operation upon the occurrence of non-flow conditions, such as by observing and recording the time required for the accumulation of a certain amount of oil in the well and providing automatic timing mechanism for turning the pump on during periods of supply and oil during the occurrence of nonflow conditions.

It has been found, however, that periods of supply and non-supply cannot be accurately determined in many wells, and that the time required for the accumulation of oil and the amount accumulated varies widely, so that there is danger of running the pump dry where fixed times of operation and non-operation are provided.

The present invention has for an important object the provision of pump control mechanism by which a pump may be started periodically, and will continue to run as long as there is fluid available to be pumped, but will be stopped automatically upon the occurrence of non-flow conditions.

Another object of the invention is to provide pump control mechanism by which a pump will be started automatically after a predetermined period of non-operation, and will continue to run if fluid is available for pumping, but will cease operation if no fluid is available, or upon failure of the supply of fluid once pumping of the fluid commences, there being also means for restarting the pump after the elapse of a predetermined time interval.

A further object of the invention is to provide pump starting and stopping mechanism which is of simple design and rugged construction, which is easily maintained in operating condition and which is not substantially effected by the flow of gas from a well being operated thereby.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly described the pump control mechanism of the invention comprises electrical control mechanism for an electric motor which operates a pump, which mechanism includes timing mechanism, which operates only when the motor is not running and means responsive to the flow of the fluid being pumped for causing the motor to continue in operation as long as the fluid is being pumped, but

3,549,276 Patented Dec. 22, 1970 ICC which causes discontinuance of the operation of the motor upon cessation of fluid flow. The control mechanism includinges electrical circuitry, which is closed by the timing mechanism to initiate operation of the pump and which is opened by the timing mechanism after a predetermined time to stop the pump if no fluid is available for pumping, but which remains closed it such fluid is present until the occurrence of non-flow conditions.

Upon discontinuance of the operation of the pump the circuit is again closed by the timing mechanism after a predetermined lapse of time. to restart the pump. Means is also provided for maintaining the timing mechanism out of action during the time that the pump is running and for placing the timing mechanism back in operation upon cessation of pumping.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the annexed drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical, central, cross-sectional view of the fluid actuated switch means of the pump controlling mechanism of the invention showing the switch in an open position;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view, partly diagrammatic, of a portion of the mechanism illustrated in FIG. 1 showing the manner in which the same may be adapted for metering of gas and oil which flows therethrough; and

FIG. 3 is an electrical diagram illustrating the electrical circuitry of the control mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PARTICULAR EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings in greater detail the control mechanism of the invention includes a hollow housing or casing, preferably formed with upper and lower sections 10 and 12 respectively, of which the lower section forms a float chamber 14, while the upper section forms an enclosure 16 for the timing mechanism, generally designated 18.

The lower section 12 is provided with an inlet 20 adapted to be connected in communication with the discharge outlet of a suitable pump, not shown, as by means of a fluid supply pipe 22, and an outlet 24 for connection to a discharge pipe 26. The lower section 12 also has an internal, lower end counterbore portion 28 forming an internal annular shoulder 30, upon which a lower closure plate 32 is seated. At its upper end the lower section 12 externally threaded to threadably receive a fitting 36, and the upper section 10 includes a base member 38 shaped to fit within the upper end of the lower section and provided with an external annular flange 40 which seats on the upper end of the lower section and is retained thereon by the screw fitting 36.

The upper section 10 also includes a cover 42 which is threadably attached to the base member 38. At its upper end the cover 42 has an opening 44 closed by a screw plug 46, and is provided externally with a suitable recess 48 or wrench receiving projection by which the cover may be screwed on or oif of the base member. Suitable seal forming means, such as the O-ring 50 is positioned in an external groove in the member 38 provided therefor, to form a fluid tight seal between the lower section and base member.

The timing mechanism 18, of the invention, includes an electric motor 52 disposed within the upper section 10 which is connected in driving relation to a timing wheel 54 having peripherally spaced notches 56 to removably receive timing elements or lugs 58 carried by the wheel for rotation therewith and which are positioned to engage a switch 60 to close the switch. The motor has a plug fitting 62 at its lower end provided with prongs 64 which are releasably inserted in a socket member 66, carried on the base member 38 and which is connected to a suitable electrical cable 68 through which the motor and its accessory equipment is supplied with electric current from any suitable source. The motor is contained in a suitable casing within which various components of the electrical system are also contained to form a unitary structure easily removed and replaced as a unit for purposes of maintenance.

Within the lower section 12 an enclosed switch 70 is located which is of a type to be magnetically operated, as by means of a permanent magnet 72, carried on a vertically sliding shaft 74, for movement toward and away from a second permanent magnet 76. The magnets 72 and 76 are arranged with their like poles opposed so that the magnet 72 will be repelled by the magnet 76. The magnet 76 is fixedly mounted on a tube 78 extending upwardly in the fluid chamber 14, within which the shaft 74 is longitudinally movable, and the shaft carries at its lower end a valve 80 which closes on a valve seat 82 in the closure plate 32, so that when the shaft is held in its upmost position by the magnets the valve 80 will be closed.

A gas outlet pipe 84 is also disposed vertically in the fluid chamber 14, through which fluid may flow from an upper level in the chamber into the counterbore 28 and out through the discharge outlet 24. This gas outlet pipe carries at its upper, inlet end a valve 86 which is positioned to be actuated by a float 88 attached to a pivoted float arm 90. By this arrangement the valve 86 will be open to allow the outflow of gas from chamber 14 when the float 88 is down, and will be closed upon upward movement of the float to shut off such outflow.

The electrical circuitry of the invention includes a transformer 92, whose primary 94 is connected to a source of electrical current which may be the usual 110-volt alternating current source, through conductors 96 and 98 through cable 68, and whose secondary 100 is connected to a relay coil 102 through a conductor 104, and to the switch 60 through a conductor 106. The timer motor 52 is of a type to be operated by 110-volt alternating current through conductors 98 and 110 and through a conductor 112 through a relay, generally designated 114, and conductor 116. The coil 118 of relay 114 is connected to the secondary 100 of transformer 92, through conductors 104 and 120, and through conductors 122, 124, 126, switch 70 and conductors 128 and 106. A suitable capacitance 130 is connected across relay coil 118, and a suitable rectifier 132 is connected into conductor 122 by which the capacitance is maintained in a charged condition during energization of the coil 118 from the transformer 92, and whereby the coil will remain energized for a predetermined time after the supply of current from the transformer 92 to coil 118 has been cut ofi.

A manually operable switch 134 is connected into the circuitry which may be opened to place the entire apparatus in inactive condition, or moved to one position to initiate the operation of the timing mechanism or another position to place the pump in operation independently of any of the automatic control mechanism of the device.

The switch 134 is shown in FIG. 3 in its fully open position, in which position the operation of the equipment is shut down. To initiate operation of the apparatus, the switch 134 is moved to the left, from the position of FIG. 3, closing the circuit to the timer motor or clock 52, through conductor 136 and switch 134 and through conductor 112, relay 114 which is now in the position shown in FIG. 3, and conductor 116. The timer motor then continues to run, rotating the wheel 54 to engage one of the timing elements 58 into engagement with switch 60 to move the same to the left from the position of FIG. 3, which causes relay coil 118 to be energized from the secondary 100, through conductors 106, 124, 122 and rectifier 132, and conductors 120 and 104. Energization of coil 118 moves the relay 114 down from the posi- 4 tion of FIG. 3 to close another clock or timer circuit through conductor 116, relay 114, conductor 138, relay 102, now in up position, and conductor 140 and through switch 134 and conductor 136. The circuit through conductor 112 to the timer motor will now be open.

The energization of coil 118 also closes a circuit through conductor 142, relay 114, now in down position, and conductor 142 to supply current from the supply line '68 to the pump motor designated 148 to operate the well pump, not shown.

With the pump thus in operation the timer continues to run until the timer element 58 which is holding switch 60 in its left hand position releases the switch to allow the same to move to its right hand position, seen in FIG. 3, whereupon relay 102 will be energized through conductors 104 and 146 and switch 60 and conductor 106. The relay 102 will then be moved to its down position, opening the timer motor circuit and stopping the timer.

Meanwhile, if the operation of the well pump results in the pumping of liquid into the chamber 14 through inlet pipe 22, such liquid will exert a downward pressure on valve to move the same downwardly to open position, pulling magnet 72 down toward magnet 76 to position magnet 72 to close switch 70. The closing of switch 70 completes a circuit to maintain relay coil 118 energized through conductors 106, 124 and 122 and rectifier 132 and through conductors and 104, thus keeping the pump motor running.

The pump motor then continues to run as long as the flow of liquid is supplied to chamber 14 in sufiicient amount to maintain valve 80 open. Upon discontinuance of the supply of liquid from the well to chamber 14, the level of liquid falls therein until valve 80 is closed by the repulsive force of the magnets 72 and 76, whereupon magnet 72 is moved upwardly to allow switch 70 to open. Opening of switch 70 opens the cirmcuit from the transformer secondary 100 to relay coil 118, so that after a time lapse determined by the discharging of the capacitance through the relay coil, the coil will be deenergized to allow the relay 114 to move to up position, closing the timer motor circuit to restart the timer and opening the pump motor circuit to stop the pump. Thus, pumping will be discontinued upon failure of the liquid supply from the well and the timer will be restarted. When the next successive timer element 58 then reaches the switch 60 the pump motor will again be started to pump any liquid which has accumulated, the timer motor being then stopped until the pump motor again stops, whereupon the timer is again restarted.

Thus, the pump will be started periodically whether or not there is liquid available for pumping and will continue to pump as long as liquid is available, but pumping will be discontinued in the event that no liquid is available or when the liquid supply fails.

In the event that there is no liquid being pumped, but the well is producing gas, the float 88 will be in its lowered position holding the valve 86 open, so that the gas may readily flow through the apparatus. By this arrangement full gas production from the well will be permitted whether the well is producing liquid or not.

A somewhat modified arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 2, for use under circumstances in which it is desired to meter the amount of liquid which flows through the apparatus, and to allow the flow of gas whether or not liquid is being produced.

In this arrangement a plug 150 which is threadably inserted in an opening 152 in the lower section 12 leading from the pipe 84 to the exterior is removed and an inner plug 154 is threadably inserted to close off communication between the outlet 152 and the counterbore 28. A gas outlet pipe 156 is then connected into the opening 152, which pipe is connected into the liquid outflow line 26 from the counterbore 28. A suitable meter 158 for measuring the outflow of liquid may be provided in the outflow line 26 upstream from the connection of the gas outflow line thereto.

By this arrangement gas may flow from chamber 14 through pipe 84 and out through pipe 156 without passing through the meter 158, while all liquid passing through dle apparatus will be measured by the meter.

The conductors 96 and 98 may also serve for the connection of any desired accessory equipment into the power supply, such as well logging instruments, chemical feeders, or the like, for which a suitable electrical outlet fitting may be attached to conductors 160 and 161 of the socket member 66, as indicated in FIG. 3.

It will thus be seen that the invention, constructed and operated as described above, provides automatically operating pump control mechanism by which an intermittently occurring liquid supply may be pumped without operation of the pump during periods when there is no available liquid to be pumped.

The invention is disclosed herein in connection with a particular embodiment of the apparatus, which is intended by way of illustration only, it being evident that the same is capable of modification within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus clearly shown and described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a system having a pump and a motor for operation thereof for pumping liquid from a well,

a receptacle into which liquid from the well may be pumped and having an outlet for the outflow of liquid therefrom and a separate outlet located above said liquid outlet through which gas may flow from the receptacle,

means in the receptacle responsive to an increase in the level of liquid therein to close said gas outlet during thte inflow of liquid into the receptacle and to a decrease in such level to open the same upon cessation of such inflow,

means for starting said motor at a predetermined time,

means for stopping the motor in response to the cessation of the flow of liquid into the receptacle, and

means for preventing the stopping of said motor within a predetermined time after the starting of the motor.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for preventing the stopping of said motor includes means in said receptacle responsive to the outflow of liquid therefrom.

3. In a system having a pump and an electric motor for operation thereof for pumping liquid from a well,

a receptacle into which liquid from the well may be pumped and having an outlet for the outflow of liquid therefrom and a separate outlet above said liquid outlet through which gas may flow from the receptacle,

a 'valve positioned for movement into and out of closing relation to said gas outlet,

means in the receptacle positioned for coaction with said valve and the liquid supplied to the receptacle to close the valve in response to an increase in the level of such liquid and to open the valve in response to a decrease in such level,

means for supplying current-to said motor at a predetermined time to operate the motor,

means for discontinuing such current supply at a predetermined time after the starting of the motor, and means for preventing such discontinuance during the outflow of liquid from said receptacle.

4. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said means for supplying current to said motor includes an electrical circuit for said motor and means for closing said circuit at a predetermined time, and

said means for discontinuing the supply of current to said motor includes means for opening the circuit at a predetermined time after the circuit has been closed.

5. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said means for supplying current to said motor includes an electrical circuit and means for closing said circuit at a predetermined time, and

said means for preventing discontinuance of such current supply includes switch means for closing said circuit in response to the outflow of liquid from the receptacle.

6. The system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said means for supplying current to said motor and for discontinuing such supply includes an electrical circuit for said motor,

electrically operated timing means for opening and closing said circuit,

means for supplying current to said timing means in response to the discontinuance of the flow of liquid into said receptacle, and

means for discontinuing the supply of current to said timing means during such flow.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,698,692 l/1929 Durdin, Jr. 103-25 2,510,190 6/1950 Nicolette 103-113 3,073,244 l/1963 Elliot et al. 103-25 3,105,443 10/1963 Johnson 103-25X ROBERT M. WALKER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

137-213; ZOO-81.9 V 

